


like watercolours in the rain

by kimbyeongie (heavydiirtysoul)



Category: A.C.E (Beat Interactive Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - No Band, Boys In Love, Domestic Fluff, Donghun and Jun are a happy couple, Established Relationship, Fluff and Smut, Light Angst, M/M, Married Couple, Minor Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Polygamy, Slice of Life, Threesome - M/M/M, Yuchan is A Disaster, bigger age gap of 9 years, dongjunchan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-02-19 01:02:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22202722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heavydiirtysoul/pseuds/kimbyeongie
Summary: He'll never get tired of watching Junhee dance, with his eyes closed and his skin glistening just the tiniest bit from the sweat, his shirt halfway opened, exposing a perfectly chiseled chest. He's fucking ethereal, Donghun thinks, and he's mine. Isn't that unbelievable?***Across the room, right next to the bar, Yuchan is having an entirely awful time.
Relationships: Kang Yuchan | Chan/Lee Donghun, Kang Yuchan | Chan/Lee Donghun/Park Junhee | Jun, Kang Yuchan | Chan/Park Junhee | Jun, Kim Byeongkwan/Kim Sehyoon | Wow, Lee Donghun/Park Junhee | Jun
Comments: 62
Kudos: 194





	1. Chapter 1

Mornings have slowly, but surely become his favorite part of the day.

Back in college, he used to not be a morning person - he loved sleeping in, loved staying in bed until well after noon, deliberately missing classes and lectures in favor of salvaging just a **little** more time in the cozy warmth between sheets and more pillows than a reasonable person could justify to own. 

But college days have passed, and weirdly enough, Donghun has found himself appreciating mornings more. There was something about the atmosphere of them; about the way the light seemed softer, more reluctant, painting everything to look softer than it was, as if the world was filtered through a veil of sepia tones. The harshness of the afternoon was nothing but a faint idea yet, when the shapes and silhouettes of the city would look sharp and dark against the bright sky, when everyone was already half tired and ready to go home.

It wasn't just the sun though! It was the rainy mornings too, when the staccato of raindrops would play comforting rythms on the huge glass windows of his little coffee shop, when the streets were gloomy and drenched and everyone seemed to be washed out and deep in their own thoughts; strangers rushing in, shuddering off the wetness and the cold and appreciating the steaming hot drinks even more than usual. 

Come to think of it, maybe rainy mornings were actually his favorite.

It's one of those exact mornings, with clouds as dark as tar hanging low over the city, and the café isn't as busy as it is on days with lovelier weather, but Donghun likes these slow days too. Junhee is at his usual table in the corner of the room, working on their weekly order for the wholesale, and Donghun is cleaning the counter for lack of anything more pressing to do.

"You know what we should do?" Junhee has walked up to the counter, unnoticed by Donghun, who was lost in thought while cleaning one mug over and over, and he almost jumps a little with the unexpected voice.

"Gosh, Jun", he exclaims, and Jun can't help the giggle, an endeared "aww, babe" escaping him. "Sorry for spooking you."

"As if you didn't do it intentionally", Donghun grumbles, but Jun ignores him gracefully.

"We should go out to dance."

Donghun furrows his brows. "We haven't been dancing in forever. Don't you think we're a little too old for that by now?"

"You're acting like we're grandparents, Donghun. .. We're not even 30."

"I turn 30 next month."

"Shush. Let's go dancing, Hun, I really want to!"

The idea seems fun in theory, but Donghun knows that he usually regrets it the day after, so he's dead set on not letting Jun convince him this time.

"I'm not going, Jun. I can name at least ten things off the top of my head that I would like to do more than going out to dance."

***

"... tidying up the apartment, watering all the plants in the café, disassembling the entire coffee maker to clean it, -" "Okay, Donghun, I get it!" Jun has to half-yell to overpower the loud, pumping baseline of the song, but he knows Donghun has heard him because he shuts up with a loud hiccup of laughter and a generous swig from his cup. 

"I know I said I didn't want to go, but I really wanted to affirm you just how **badly** I didn't want to go." With an overdramatic sigh he continues to nibble on his longdrink. "I have to admit though, it **is** fun."

"Right?" Junhee is deeply satisfied, holding his boyfriends' hand and dancing against him with the rythm of the song, his own drink in the other hand, only occasionally taking a sip or two as to not get too drunk. "And we're gonna make sure we'll get home at an appropriate time."

"Yeah, sure thing", Donghun laughs - no matter what they did, usually they ended up staying until the early morning hours, regretfully peeling themselves out of bed a mere two hours later to open up shop at 7am, as always. Donghun has justified doubts about this evening being any different.

"Let's get on the dancefloor, old man", Junhee teases, pulling Donghun into the crowd of people, visibly enjoying the way the lights are playing on his sequin shirt, body rolling to heaven and back, and Donghun can't help but stare.

He'll never get tired of watching Junhee dance, with his eyes closed and his skin glistening just the tiniest bit from the sweat, his shirt halfway opened, exposing a perfectly chiseled chest. He's fucking ethereal, Donghun thinks, and he's mine. Isn't that unbelievable?

***

Across the room, Yuchan is having an entirely awful time.

Maybe he's had one or two drinks too many, the room spinning weirdly out of perspective, and he is trying desperately to hold onto the barstool he's leaning against.

"Shit", he mumbles as someone pushes roughly against him, almost making him lose his balance, spilling his drink over the person. "Watch what you're doing, asshole", he slurs, unintentionally louder than planned, and said asshole does not enjoy being insulted by drunk strangers, apparently.

Half a second later, Yuchan hits the floor with a heavy thud, people jumping to the side in an attempt to not accidentally get involved in the unexpected brawl. But brawl seems like quite the overexaggeration, as Yuchan has no intention of getting up again to fight back whatsoever.

The floor is comfortably cold against his cheek where the punch had landed, the ceiling with the blinding lights morphing into a sea of colors, and for a moment he considers just trying to sleep right then and there.

A pair of strong arms is pulling him upwards and away from the bar, and for a moment he thinks his friends have returned to pick him up - but the guy carrying him seems entirely unfamiliar, even in his drunk state, and he halfheartedly tries to wiggle out of his grip.

"Hey. Heey, l-let me goo", he whines, but the man just strengthens his grip. "You're not going anywhere", says the stranger with a somehow velvety, muffled voice, and the next thing he knows he is being sat down on one of the couches in the lobby of the club, his head immediately rolling to the side heavily, unable to sit up straight. 

"-m okay", he tries to assure the stranger, but there's another guy now, too, and they're seemingly busy with their own conversation, heated whispers like an argument.

"We can't just leave him here. Look at him, Junhee. Who knows what could happen." - "You can't just take a random stranger home, Donghun, and no, I don't care if he's cute or if your intentions are good. We don't even know who he is. Like, at all. Maybe he's a dick! Who knows! Let's just call him a cab and get him home." - A defeated sigh. "Fine. Let's see if he knows where he lives."

They turn their attention back to him, and Yuchan smiles drowsily through heavy lids. 

"-m not cute." 

"So he disputes being cute, but not the part about being a dick. Figures."

The two exchange a short look, the one on the left (Junhee?) rolling his eyes dramatically while the other one (the **nicer** one) sits down next to him. Yuchan turns his head towards him, tries to focus his vision. He looks friendly - kind of sad, with his big eyes and pouty lips, but friendly.

"What's your name, love?"

Love? The petname makes him giggle, and he pulls his legs up to his chest, rolling up in a kind of fetal position against the strangers' side.

"Yuchan", he purrs against the other mans' chest, blinking his eyes up to him, suddenly in a flirty mood. "But you can conninue to call m-me love."

"I'm Donghun", the man says, with a slightly awkward smile shuffling to the side, away from Yuchan. It's just the tiniest bit, but enough for him to notice. "Can you tell us where you live? We want to call you a cab to make sure you get home safely."

Yuchan shakes his head vehemently. "Dunno", he says, with emphasis, suddenly feeling very alone and lost, his current situation becoming weirdly clear in the blink of an eye. "My friends left. W-we're on vacation. Dunno where the hotel is."

Donghun seems to silently communicate with the other man still standing to the side, because the second stranger groans loudly out of the blue. "Fine!", he says, crossing his arms in front of his chest, voice perfectly melodic despite the obvious annoyance in it, "But if he pukes on the guest couch you're buying us a new one."

Strong arms lift Yuchan up by the shoulders, and he's being carried again, towards the counter this time. Donghun seems to leave his phone number with the staff at the bar, as far as Yuchan can tell over the noise seeping out from the club area behind them, but he's too tired and too drunk to really care. All he wants is a bed, or a couch, or the floor if it has to be, but he needs to lie down so badly.

"D-donghun", he slurs, voice feeling strangely dry and thick. "-m tired."

"I got you, love", Donghun says, again with the unexpected term of endearment, and the other man rolls his eyes so hard Yuchan is afraid they will just roll out of his skull entirely. "You're too soft", he mumbles, "you have to stop caring so much for strangers." - "But that's what you love about me", voice a deep vibrato in Donghun's chest and Yuchan can feel it, because he has his cheek pressed against it.

They're silent for a minute while they wait for a taxi to pull up, the cold dark night clawing its way into Yuchan's light shirt, but he's already half asleep when they shuffle into their seats.

"Thank you", he mumbles, finally, before passing out completely, head rolling against Donghun's shoulder.

Weirdly enough, he's not afraid.


	2. Chapter 2

He wakes up to the faint smell of freshly brewed coffee wafting into the small living room and over to the pull out couch he's been sleeping on, bundled up into a thick blanket and surrounded by a whole bunch of pillows.

There's hushed voices and hardly stifled laughter accompanying the amazing scent, and despite his head stinging with the familiar pain of a hangover he sits up carefully, both eager and anxious about meeting the people who helped him last night.

They really had been under no obligation to help him whatsoever – he was just a random stranger, after all. They hadn't talked beforehand, hadn't danced.. Nothing. And yet, these two people somehow had the kindness in them to not only help him get away from a fight, no, they also had taken it on themselves to offer him a place to sleep. 

He's still in his jeans and shirt, but his shoes are placed neatly next to the couch. The room is small and cozy – thick carpets, endless numbers of framed pictures on the wall, an abundance of plants on every horizontal surface, a big record player next to a shelf filled with records. He immediately feels safe and warm and at home, despite never having been here before.

The pictures catch his attention. There's memorabilia, concert tickets, polaroids, paintings. Lots of pictures of Donghun and – Junhee, was it? - arm in arm, smiling brightly. On an obviously windy beach, hair in their eyes and squinting into the sun, the waves crashing behind them. Another one in a forest, holding hands, with big backpacks, hiking. Some of them kissing, in suits (Wedding pictures? There's a whole bunch of them, with their friends, their family, probably).

It feels like he's invading, suddenly, realizing that he's laid eyes on the most private side of their life, and they knew nothing about him.

There's still a constant stream of noise coming from the next room over, the faint rattle of cutlery, of a coffee maker sizzling and dripping, half-whispered voices, a table being set. The rustle of newspapers being opened.

Yuchan's heart sinks as the feeling of him invading their privacy deepens. He doesn't want to be this weird third wheel, this weird stranger occupying their living room, nothing more than a nuisance, probably.

He should try and sneak out, maybe, leave a couple bucks for the taxi they took last night on the coffee table. But then again, wouldn't that be even more rude? They spent their time on helping him, and his thanks was a wordless goodbye and some cash on the table?

With a heavy heart he decides to say hi, to say thank you, and to leave right after.

His feet haven't touched the carpet yet when the big sliding door to his left opens just a little, and Donghun peeks in, unexpectedly. „Oh, he's awake. Junhee, he's awake!“ The big smile immediately taking over Donghun's face is so warm and filled with genuine endearment, Yuchan feels like crying out of embarrassment. He doesn't deserve this kindness.

„How are you feeling?“

Before Yuchan can find it in him to answer, Donghun has disappeared again, only to return a moment later with a steaming hot cup of coffee.

The scent fills the living room entirely now, and Yuchan smiles just the tiniest bit. 

„Thank you“, he mumbles as Donghun sets the cup down on the table in front of him. He pulls his legs back up and under the blanket, unsure of what to do with himself.

„So...“, Donghun trails off, hands awkwardly smoothing down the sides of his knitted sweater, standing in the middle of the room, seemingly indecisive.

„Thank you. I mean it“, Yuchan repeats, unable to endure the silence any longer. It seems like Donghun had only waited for him to say something, because he finally sits down in the big arm chair across from the table, pulling his legs up, mirroring Yuchan's pose subconsciously.

„It's nothing“, he says, a soft smile still lingering on his face. „It would have been wrong to just leave you behind.“ A second or two of silence. „And not safe either, of course“, he adds, cradling his own coffee cup in both hands. 

„You could have left me there“, Yuchan says, voice thick and a little hoarse from last night. „My friends did...“

Donghun seems to perk up at that, leaning forward, putting his cup on the table with more strength than necessary, brows furrowed. His face is like an open book, his annoyance and anger obvious in his expression.

„I can't believe they'd do that. And in a city you don't know, too! It's really something.“

Yuchan shrugs it off. He's used to it, his friends aren't really much of a tight-knit group – they all met through school and recently Yuchan had been realizing more and more that maybe they weren't friends after all. Sometimes it felt like it had been a partnership of convenience for most them, that they we're only hanging out because there wasn't anyone better available.

So now that school had ended and the future that had always seemed so far away was suddenly right there, right in front of them, the former bonds, however decent, had started to inexorably fall apart.

This was their last trip together before college started, and even though he had been in Seoul before, the city still seemed like an endless jungle and Yuchan had trouble finding his way through it.

Donghun's eyes had been on him for a while now, the silence not entirely uncomfortable, both of them slowly sipping their coffees. Yuchan wondered if Junhee would join them at all. He catches himself staring at the sliding door leading to the kitchen, and Donghun's eyes follow his gaze, a light smile settling on his face again.

„Sorry about him“, Donghun says with a subtle nod towards the kitchen, and his voice is honey-warm with love. „Junhee is a bit wary of strangers. Also, not that much of a morning person.“

„Me neither“, Yuchan admits, carefully fishing for his phone to check the time. 6.30am? He couldn't have slept long.

„You've only slept for four hours, I think. You got 20 minutes more than us because you slept in the taxi.“ 

Yuchan's cheeks immediately start turning red, the embarrassment finally returning. „I'm so sorry for putting you through all this“, he whispers, eyes cast on the ground, face burning. 

„Yuchan. I promise it's okay. We decided to help you. You didn't force us.“ Donghun's voice is velvety again, reassuring, and Yuchan remembers how safe he felt, cradled in his arms. The blush on his cheeks deepens, but Donghun gracefully ignores it.

They're silent again for a moment, until Donghun looks at his own watch, sighing softly.

„Alright, then“, he says, getting up, smoothing down his sweater once more, a sudden air of business around him. „I have to open up the café in a bit, so I'll have to leave soon. Feel free to get some more sleep, if you like. Junhee will stay here until noon, I suppose, so you're welcome to stay until then, too.“

The idea of staying behind with Junhee is absolutely terrifying. The other seems to have taken a strong disliking to him, and Yuchan isn't about to test his patience.

„No, uh, I'd come with you, if it's okay. I'll call my friends and see if they can pick me up, or, uh, I don't know, maybe they can give me the address of the hotel and I'll get a taxi.“

***

The café is just as cozy as the living room had been. There's plants everywhere, and the furniture - chairs, couches, tables, stools – is all over the place. Not one piece fits to the other, and it's the most harmonious picture of chaos Yuchan can imagine.

Donghun has been busy behind the counter, starting the coffee brewer and wiping down the appliances, turning on soft coffee house music, all busy and buzzing with energy.

Yuchan is still awkwardly standing in the middle of the room, trying to take it all in, when Donghun starts setting the tables and pushing some chairs from left to right, seemingly without order. 

„You like it?“

„Hm?“ 

„The café. You like it?“

Donghun is standing on the other end of the room, hands on his hips, looking around the place as well. He looks like a proud dad, positively beaming with happiness and for the blink of an eye, Yuchan knows exactly why Junhee fell in love with this man.

„It's cozy.“

„Right? I bought it three years ago, right after college. Didn't look as cozy back then. Labour of love, I guess. Took us a year to fix all the little bits and pieces that weren't up to par, but I've always believed in it.“

The smile on Donghun's face is blinding, all teeth, and Yuchan can't help but smile back.

„I like it a lot.“

„Thank you“, Donghun says, and their eyes lock for a moment – Yuchan almost feels dizzy, light-headed. Weird.

Must be the lack of sleep, he thinks, cheeks dusted pink, averting his gaze with embarrassment. Or maybe I'm still drunk.

„I should call my friends“, he mumbles, and Donghun nods.

„Go ahead.“

The first sunbeams finally pour in through the light beige curtains, soaking everything in golden hues, and Yuchan really doesn't want to leave.


	3. Chapter 3

Spring has finally come, and with it endless oceans of pink and white – the cherry trees are in full bloom, cascades of colorful blossoms raining down onto the onlookers, onto tourists and locals alike. No matter if you've lived in Korea all your life or if you're on vacation for a week or two, the beauty of it all never gets old.

It's Yuchan's first ever spring in Seoul, and he can't get enough of it. The semester has barely started, so there isn't a lot of work for him to do yet. Instead, he spends every free minute he has by the river, at Yeouido Park or at Kyunghee University, despite not studying there. The trees are just too fascinating, mesmerizing almost, and he intends to continue being outside whenever possible.

But the pace picks up earlier than he had hoped. The work starts to pile up, and he finally has to admit that maybe studying music and dance – while seemingly an easy choice for someone talented like him – wasn't that easy after all. Talent alone wasn't a fast pass to perfect grades, especially not in theoretical courses like art history or art science.

It's after a particulary hard to follow class that apparently his classmate takes pity on him.

„Hey, Yuchan!“

„Yes?“

„Do you by chance want to join our study group?“

Byeongkwan is a little smaller than him, but more muscular and a lot less.. lanky, in a way. He seems to have skipped the awkward teenager phase entirely and just gone straight to hot college student, resulting in him having what strangely resembled a harem of girls at his feet, willing to do his homework, carry around his books, whatever he asked – but he never did ask for anything. Byeongkwan was either oblivious or really not interested, Yuchan can't quite tell since he doesn't know the other beyond being in a few classes together. That's why he's even more surprised about the unexpected invitation.

„So I really looked that lost, huh?“

Byeongkwan laughs, hearty and loud, and Yuchan can't help but laugh along. 

„You kinda did. So – you wanna come?“

„What, now?“

„We're meeting in 5 to go to our regular café. You can join next week if you want, but I think after this lesson we can all use a second rundown of whatever the hell that was.“

A quick scroll through his phones' calendar confirms that Yuchan actually doesn't have anything more pressing to do, so, why not? Might as well give it a try.

„Alright, then. Let's do it!“

Byeongkwan laughs his endearing laugh again, and pats Yuchan's shoulder with a little more force than necessary. 

„Nice. Sehyoon will be waiting at the main gate, so let's catch up with him.“

At first he doesn't quite connect the dots of why exactly he knows this particular street they're in – the houses are strangely familiar, and the deja vue sensation is overwhelming. 

„I swear I've been here before,“ he mumbles, and despite Yuchan talking quietly, Sehyoon hears him. 

„Really? It's not a very known café, but we like that, since that means we have some peace and quiet and don't get disturbed a lot.“

The second Sehyoon mentions the café, it finally clicks in his brain, the missing puzzle piece falling into place.

„Oh, shit. Right,“ he groans, and Sehyoon raises an eyebrow in surprise. 

„No need to swear. You know the café?“

„I do,“ Yuchan says before shutting himself up, furrowed brows and thin lips more than obvious enough to tell Sehyoon he isn't willing to share any more.

„Okay then.“ Sehyoon gets the hint and thankfully doesn't ask anything further.

The little bell above the door gives Yuchan actual chills, and he feels entirely ridiculous, but his heart is beating out of his chest, cheeks burning. How could he have forgotten about this street, this coffee shop? Now that the memory has caught up with him full force, he cannot stop thinking about **him** – blinding smile, wild curls, how warm and safe he had felt in his arms – memories and feelings he had tucked away neatly, banned from his heart and mind for being childish fantasies, stupid dreams of a hormonal teenager or whatever else he needed to discuss them away.

But now he's back at the café, and the scents are overwhelming. Freshly brewed coffee, blooming flowers in pots and vases alike, and it's a symphony of epic proportions. His eyes are glued to the floor, thoughts racing as he tries to come up with something witty or cool or charming to say, but his somersaulting mind is being brought to a harsh stop as he finally dares to steal a glance towards the counter.

„Junhee?“

A second of silence as their eyes meet, surprise evident on the older mans' face.

It takes the other a moment to gather the memory, to place the vaguely familiar boy in front of him, but then recognition lights up Junhee's face.

„Yuchan?“

It's the first time he has seen Junhee smile, and it's magnificent. 

He knows it's rude to stare, but now that he's sober and the circumstances are less awkward, he can't help but notice just how pretty Junhee is. He almost looks like a model, Yuchan thinks, and he isn't sure if the drop in his stomach is a sudden ping of jealousy or if it's butterflies. Maybe both. Probably both. He really needs to get his shit together either way.

„It's such a surprise to see you again!“, Junhee finally breaks the silence before it got weird, and Yuchan has to quickly try and control his skipping heart. 

„Yeah! I – I mean, we -,“ it's embarrassing, really, how squeaky his voice sounds and how sweaty his hands are. He kind of hopes Donghun isn't here just so he doesn't have to face him like this. 

„You joined the infamous study group.“ It's a statement, not a question, and Yuchan nods quietly. Maybe it was better if he just shut up preemptively to avoid any nonsense leaving his traitorous mouth.

„I'm sure you'll have a great time. Byeongkwan really is something. Aren't you!“, Junhee nods towards the younger one, and Beyongkwan gives him a nonchalant wink. 

If Yuchan didn't know better, he'd say Byeongkwan is flirting with Junhee. Or, actually, maybe he is. That certainly would explain Byeongkwans distinct disinterest in girls - but Yuchan isn't one to dwell or guess about other people, and maybe he's just projecting after all.

They get comfortable at the table in the far corner of the room, by the big window, surrounded by a jungle of plants and fairylights (those are new). Yuchan tries hard not to look too disappointed about not having seen Donghun yet, but apparently he isn't doing a very good job, because when Junhee sets down his order in front of Yuchan, he shakes his head softly. 

„He's visiting his parents. Coming back tomorrow.“

„Hm? Who?“, Yuchan pretends to be oblivious, and Junhee is actually sweet enough to pretend to believe it.

„Donghun. He'll be back tomorrow. You can come say hi then, if you want.“

Yuchan's cheeks are positively burning by now, painfully aware of everyone's eyes on him, and he just nods quickly.

„Okay. Shall we start?“, Sehyoon says, barely hiding the millions of questions he probably has, but being considerate enough not to ask. Yuchan makes a mental note to thank him someday.

„So you know Junhee's husband?“ Byeongkwan isn't that considerate, apparently.

„Mhmh. Yes“, Yuchan says, hoping he'd just let it go, but to no avail. 

„How so?“

„Kwan, can we just start studying? Please? I really need to understand this topic. It's the foundation for the next one.“ Sehyoon gives his friend a sharp look, and despite his obvious curiosity, Byeongkwan leaves it be.

***

They spend a good three hours recapitulating the lesson of today, working through the extra materials they got and summarizing the reading they had done. Alltogether, Yuchan thinks he actually understands most of it now, and Sehyoon nods along as well, taking notes and asking a few extra questions whenever he can't follow. Byeongkwan really doesn't need this study group – it becomes obvious pretty quickly that he's an absolute ace in this class and that his main objective is to help Sehyoon, and now Yuchan as well. 

Once they got through all the remaining questions and finished up their second round of coffee, Byeongkwan closes his book with emphasis and declares the study session over.

„So. Yuchan“, he begins, only to be interrupted by Sehyoon. 

„Stop interrogating!“, he says with a stern voice, and Byeongkwan gives him a surprised look. „He doesn't wanna talk about it.“

„Jeez“, Kwan recoils, „no reason to scold me, old man.“

Sehyoon gives him another look – one Yuchan can't quite interpret, but they both seem to understand each other, weirdly enough. Maybe there's more to them than meets the eye, but unlike Byeongkwan, he knows not to ask.

„Alright then, time to go. You walking back to the station with us, Yuchan?“

With a quick glance at his phone to check for the time, Yuchan decides he's gonna stay a little longer. He needs to take a different line back home anyways, so he might as well wait in the warmth of the café rather than at the station. Despite spring being in full force it's still quite chilly outside, and he didn't bring a jacket.

„I'm gonna wait for my own subway line here, I think. I still have a bit of time to kill. I'll see you guys tomorrow. Thanks for letting me participate – this really helped a lot.“

Sehyoon waves to him while holding the door open for Kwan, and from the corner of his eye Yuchan isn't quite sure, but he thinks the smaller one hooks his arm under Sehyoon's as they stroll away.

Weird.

„So it's just you now, hm?“

He hadn't noticed Junhee walking up to the table, and Yuchan almost jumps out of his skin.

„Dear God!“, he exclaims, hand clasping at his heart. „Don't scare me.“

„Sorry“, Junhee laughs, and this is also the first time Yuchan has heard Junhee laugh – it's contagious and genuine, and he slumps back into his seat while Junhee leans against the wall next to Yuchan's chair.

„Donghun is just as easy to scare as you.“

It's an endearing detail, and Yuchan smiles softly. He can feel Junhee's eyes on him, intense and curious, and involuntarily squirms under his gaze.

„Do you have any plans for tonight?“

The question takes him aback – he remembers very well how unhappy Junhee had been about his presence last time, and the sudden change is unexpected and, frankly, inexplicable to Yuchan.

„Why?“

Maybe it comes out a little more harshly than he wanted it to, but first impressions are a a bit difficult to get rid of, no matter how pretty someone's smile is.

„I wanted to go to the night market and I wondered if you'd like to accompany me. I remember Donghun mentioned you we're only on vacation last time – you can't have been here for long then if you just started studying this semester.“ He pauses for a moment before he continues speaking as if reconsidering – Yuchan can feel his ears burning again, apparently a common theme with him by now, but the thought of Junhee and Donghun talking about him.. He doesn't know why, but it makes his tummy do somersaults once more. „Let me show you the city at night. Please? I love the night market, and the food there is amazing.“ 

Yuchan's eyes meet Junhee's, and for the first time, they really, properly look at each other – Yuchan's mind is racing, his heart going 300 miles an hour, overwhelmed by the sudden honesty and weird intimacy of the situation, and he has to quickly look away again. They're all alone in the café, and they're so close, and Yuchan feels like he's as hot as a furnace, and surely Junhee must notice, and there really isn't a logical explanation for how he's feeling, and he really, really doesn't know why both Junhee and Donghun have such strong effects on him, such inappropriate -

„Yuchan?“

„Yes. Sorry. I – uhh, I don't really know..“

Junhee seems to suddenly catch up with the situation, and he takes a step back as if wanting to give Yuchan space.

It's silent for a minute, neither of them quite sure what to say or how to continue, acutely aware of the sudden shift in the atmosphere.

„I wanted to apologize“, Junhee finally says, and Yuchan looks up again, cheeks dusty red, eyes big. If he continues to blush like a school girl everytime Junhee addresses him, he might pass out at one point.

_(Junhee is reminded of a deer, or rather – a fawn.)_

„I wasn't very nice last time. And Donghun wasn't happy about it – actually, he scolded me very badly once you left. I don't know why I was such a dick.“ The swear word makes Yuchan's eyes grow even bigger with surprise. There's the insinuation of something else, as if Junhee wants to add something but decides against it in the last possible second. „So, please forgive me?,“ he adds, and Yuchan can't help but wonder what Junhee had actually wanted to say.

He's quiet for a moment, but Junhee seems to be genuine, seems to mean what he says even if it isn't everything there is to it. Yuchan isn't one to hold a grudge, especially when he really doesn't know Junhee at all, and maybe he could give him the benefit of the doubt - they really hadn't met under the best circumstances, so giving him a second chance seemed.. well, fair.

„Fine. Sure, yes, it's alright. Don't worry about it.“

It comes out a lot more „whatever-ish“ than he had intended to, but Junhee smiles brightly anyway. „Great! So you'll come to the night market with me?“

Right, he had acually forgotten about that again. But, hell, why not. Today seemed to be a day of „why the hell not“s, so he might as well continue going along with it.

„Okay. Let's do it.“

He has another deja vue of earlier that day when he had agreed to join the study group – funny how fate played sometimes. Or chance. Or luck. Whatever you wanted to call it.

"I don't have a jacket though", Yuchan suddenly adds, being reminded of why he hadn't joined the other two earlier. "So, maybe we can, uh, reschedule?"

"Pft", Junhee makes a sound as if Yuchan had insulted him, and disappears behind the counter, seemingly searching for something. "There you go."

It's a thick coat, looking maybe a little too big, but definitely warm.

"It's Donghuns. He always keeps one back here."

There it is again, this stinging little voice, telling him he's invading, that all this - all of this is wrong, it's weird, it's not how things are supposed to be, and yet - when Junhee holds out the coat for him, his hand is moving on its own accord as he takes it from him with a tiny "thank you" that doesn't even sound like himself.

If Junhee does notice, he is considerate enough not to mention it.

Dilligently, the older man checks on all the appliances one last time before turning off the lights. Meanwhile Yuchan puts on the coat, getting lost momentarily in the amazing scent - honey and caramel and coffee and Donghun, like an aphrodisiac that makes his head swim and his tummy sink in the most asphyxiating way, as if all of his feelings suddenly crawled up his throat to steal his breath away.

"You okay?"

Junhee is standing in the door, tall and lean and gorgeous like this was an editorial in Vogue, not a small coffee shop somewhere in Mapo-gu. There's a questioning look on his perfect face, and Yuchan swallows his idiot heart down, nodding quietly.

He really isn't okay. He really, really isn't.

_Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this update took its sweet time, but it's finally here! thank you for sticking around! we get some junhee and yuchan interaction and it really is so much fun to write these two <3
> 
> i hope you enjoyed this new chapter. comments and kudos are, as always, wildly appreciated!


	4. Chapter 4

There's something weirdly intimate about the anonimity of big crowds – the way their shoulders are pressed together when they walk through the narrow alleyways, lit up by the sheer endless rows of food stalls lining the sides. The way Yuchan's hands claw into the back of Junhee's coat when people try to push past them, the way he can feel Junhee's muscles move underneath the fabric when he walks.

It feels like time has come to a standstill, right here in the faceless crowds of the market, and the stream of people numbs out the world around them.

Yuchan tries to recall if he's ever felt like this before, but all he can think of is waking up in Donghun and Junhee's flat, the air thick and heavy like honey, the plants, the collages of pictures. 

He couldn't say if it had been an hour or a minute when they finally wiggle into a hidden doorframe, and Junhee is quick to hold the door open for him. „No use shopping for food when you're hungry. Just makes you buy stuff you don't actually need.“

Yuchan just nods, for lack of a fitting answer, and finds himself swallowed by the familiar smells of a restaurant.

They haven't really talked much so far, just sort of quietly accepting each other's presence – he could feel Junhee's eyes landing on him every now and again, not in a piercing way, more curious than angry, intrigued, maybe. As if he still wasn't sure what exactly Donghun saw in him.

If he sees anything in you.

Imposter.

Yuchan isn't sure if the change in his demeanor was that visible, or if Junhee was just paying too much attention. Maybe a mix of both. But Junhee picks up on it, shuffles slightly, clears his throat. Yuchan almost hopes the earth will open up and devour him, but of course it doesn't, and of course Junhee speaks up.

„Hey, are you okay?“ There's genuine concern lacing his melodic voice, and Yuchan feels weirdly exposed. 

„Hm, yeah, sure.“

He's not being very good company, but admittedly, he wasn't quite sure what Junhee had expected to happen. Was he supposed to just pretend to be friends, as if the last time they met hadn't actually happened?

„You're still mad.“

Junhee makes a statement – it's not a question.

„No – I – No, I'm not mad. I meant it when I accepted your apology earlier.“ (And he did! He really did mean it!) „Just.. confused.“ Yuchan leans back with a frustrated sigh, finally meeting Jun's eyes across the small table. It's the first time he's really looking at Jun since they left the café, and the blinding beauty staring back catches him off guard, again. He's way too perfect, Yuchan thinks, it's almost enough to be infuriating. Almost enough to make you angry. 

„I still don't understand why you we're so.. not nice last time.“ It's a weird way of putting it, but his brain doesn't want to cooperate.

Junhee's sharp laugh almost makes him flinch. „Fair enough.“ There's a moment of silence, maybe a little more uncomfortable than the silence before, the one where they had eaten in mutual agreement of „no talking“. This one has more meaning, and there's a barely visible line of deep thought carved between Jun's perfect brows.

„I think I was jealous.“

He needs a moment to process that, and it's just all the more confusing. „I don't understand,“ he finally says, because he doesn't. 

„I – it's -“ Junhee is visibly struggling, frustrated upon the lack of words. „It's difficult to explain. But – yes, I was jealous. You're... You know, Donghun is...“ His voice trails off, the sentence hanging in the air between them, unfinished.

Junhee sighs, picking at his fingers, obviously unsure of where to start, how to begin.

„He's the love of my life“, he finally says, and it's so gravely profound that Yuchan feels the hair on his arms rise, but Junhee continues before he can get a word in – maybe talking to himself, now, more than he is to Yuchan. „I never really believed in it, all this true love stuff, it was.. whatever, you know? A fairytale you tell to little kids to make the world seem less cruel. I don't know.“ A dismissive wave of his hands.

Yuchan isn't quite sure where this is going, and if he's being honest, the sudden intimacy of the situation makes him a little uncomfortable. I don't want to hear him talk about Donghun like that. I don't know if my heart can take it.

But Junhee continues, entirely unaware of the inappropriate feelings racing under Yuchan's skin, still in his own world as he explains.

„But there he was, you know? And it was love at first sight – or second, or third, but it was quick, and I've never questioned it. The moment we started dating, there was no doubt in my mind that this was the man I would marry and grow old with. We didn't even know what we would have for dinner that day, but we knew this was it. You know?“

No, I don't know, Yuchan wants to say, in an immature, 'foot-stomping-in-the-supermarket-aisle' childish impulse, but Junhee continues before he can get a word in.

„And we we're right! We didn't know much back then, but we we're right about each other. And it's always been like this, for years now. No matter what was going on in our life, the one thing we could rely on was each other.“

Junhee sighs quietly, eyes finally meeting Yuchan's again. Returning from wherever he had been in his mind, back into the dim light of this tiny restaurant somewhere in a nameless alley of the city, and the room seems all the more small now. He looks otherworldy beautiful in this light, Yuchan realizes, momentarily lost in the curve of Junhee's lips, the shine of his eyes, the soft glow of his skin.

„I guess I just feel protective of him.“

That was definitely not what Junhee had originally wanted to say – Yuchan can tell from the sudden reservedness in his voice, a definitive change to the softness from before. 

The magic is gone, and Yuchan almost feels a little cold despite the warmth of the restaurant.

He needs to clear his throat, uncomfortably scratchy after not having said anything for a while. The waitress rushes in, clearing their table, and both Yuchan and Junhee give her an almost relieved smile. Just them in a restaurant, eating. Nothing unusual. 

The cold of the spring night feels sharp against his face as they leave the restaurant, back into the crowds of the main alley. The food stalls are less tempting now, but the scents are still overwhelming. Junhee pushes forward, and when his hand finds Yuchan's to make sure they don't get separated, it somehow doesn't feel that weird.

Junhee has very soft hands.

It takes them a little more than five minutes to make their way through the more populated part of the market until they arrive at the big market hall with the stalls catered more towards business and restaurant owners. There's significantly less people here, and they stroll along the first row of sellers before Yuchan realizes they're still holding hands.

For a second, he's not sure wether or not this was an accident, simple absent-mindedness, or -

"Wait. Phone. Sorry." 

Junhee's hand disappears from his in the blink of an eye, and before he can even finish his thought, Junhee has wandered off for his phone call.

Yuchan suddenly feels incredibly alone, standing in the bright neon light of the market hall, and he pulls the coat closer around his shoulders, nose buried in the thick material, deep breath in. Honey, caramel, coffee. Donghun. 

"Alright, sorry. I'm back." Before Yuchan can get too lost in his own thoughts, Junhee returns, phone disappearing into his pocket again. "Donghun said he's gonna be home a little earlier than what was planned. Let's finish buying groceries and welcome him home?"

Yuchan has given up trying to understand why exactly Junhee had decided to trust him or why he suddenly seemed so keen in involving him in his life - the thought of getting to see Donghun again makes his heart skip a beat and his palms sweaty despite the sharp cold. Junhee could have asked anything from him right now, he would have said yes.

"Okay", Yuchan just says, nonchalantly, and Junhee giggles a little and fuck, it's infuriatingly cute.

It does feel rushed, the way they comb through the market hall now: Junhee buys mostly fresh fruit ("Donghun likes baking cakes, but he's so picky with his fruit") and produce ("Donghun wants to try and put salads on our menu") as well as different types of bread ("Because Donghun says a good salad also needs a good slice of bread at the side"), and Yuchan just kind of tags along, endlessly nodding and laughing as Junhee seems to become more and more comfortable and happy while sharing endearing details about his husband.

Despite their hurry, the night has fallen completely over the little alleys as they finally step out of the neon-lit hall. The atmosphere has changed, there's less people now, most of the food stalls have closed up, and the remaining people seem to be in their own world, arm in arm, hand in hand.

Yuchan holds onto his huge bag of produce, trailing behind Junhee who's carrying his own bags, and thankfully the subway station isn't far.

The ride home is quiet, but comfortable, a strange feeling of excitement and nervousness settled firmly in Yuchan's tummy. It's been so long since he's seen Donghun, it almost feels like another life, even though it's been barely six months. The realization of just how impactful that day was, that short morning back then, when his cheek was still throbbing from the punch, the scent of freshly brewed coffee, Donghun's blinding smile, the way the sunlight filtered through the curtains... it all seems aeons away, unreal. Like a fairytale.

Junhee sits next to him, their shoulders barely touching, but Yuchan is acutely aware of their closeness. Acutely aware of Junhee's knee pressing against his, the way his breath hiccups when Junhee's hand finds his again, not an accident, not by chance, just because somehow, it had felt so right earlier, like two puzzle pieces that hadn't even been aware of the fact that the other had been missing.

For once, Yuchan decides not to ask himself why, or how, or if it's right or not, he just lets his hand settle into Junhee's, head leaning against the cold window of the subway, thoughts trailing off to nowhere in particular.

Maybe it was okay to just accept things sometimes, and not pick them apart. Maybe he could just sit here, a bag of vegetables and fruit in one arm, his hand in Junhee's, and let things be what they were. Maybe, just for one night, it would be okay to pretend that this could work, that this really was something with a future.

Just for this one night.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw blood for this chapter!

Donghun isn't much more than a vaguely familiar dark shape in the night as they inevitably come closer to the doorway. It's weirdly unceremonious, the way Jun is holding the grocery bags tightly in his arms as he leans in to give Donghun a soft peck to the lips – it lasts barely a second and yet it's so painfully intimate that Yuchan's heart sinks rapidly. What am I doing here? 

He's never seen them kiss before. He's never seen them together before, like, **really** together, he realizes with an unexpected, stinging pang of jealousy. It feels like a punch to the throat.

But then Donghun's eyes find Yuchan's despite the dark (despite everything?), and the tiniest gasp falls from his lips as he realizes who he's looking at - a small noise in the quiet of the empty street, and Donghun's face lights up with thinly veiled excitement that is both surprising and soothing on a level that Yuchan doesn't dare try to explain. 

"Hey, you!", Donghun finally says, with his honey voice little more than a whisper as he squirms from Jun's half-embrace and then stops in his tracks before reaching Yuchan. 

There really isn't much of a protocol on how to do any of this, and Yuchan is harshly reminded of the fact that **„this“** is barely anything more than an (admittedly kind of weirdly close) friendship.

If one could even call it that.

Donghun is still frozen in place, and the darkness can't hide the insecurity in his expression.

For some reason, that's all it takes for Yuchan's heart to stumble and fall. 

"Hey", he replies, abundance of eloquence, but then Donghun's arms are around him and he drowns in a flurry of exhilarating scents and memories. 

Memories is a big word for "sleepless nights in a haze imagining Donghun on top of you", and so he doesn't allow it to take over entirely. (He's an idiot, but he isn't **that much** of an idiot.) He's not sure if he imagines it in the wishful thinking of the moment, but Donghun's hand rests cautiously in the curve of Yuchan's neck, just a moment too long to be unintentional as he withdraws from their embrace. 

"It's been so long!", he finally beams, and no matter how many times Yuchan had been thinking of Donghun in the past months, nothing could have prepared him for the onslaught of sheer craving welling up in the pit of his stomach as he relished in the genuine happiness in Donghun's voice. 

God, if he didn't know better, he would have dropped to his knees and proposed right then and there. 

But Jun breaks the spell with the sharp clicks of a key in a lock, and it feels ridiculously symbolic as Donghun turns away from Yuchan to help his husband by picking up the bags filled with produce.

For a few awful seconds, Yuchan stands there like a lost puppy, heart beating like crazy in his chest, unsure wether he should follow or quietly leave his own paper bag at the door and disappear into the night. 

But then Jun's head pops out from the doorframe, a sharp silhouette against the stairwell now flooded with warm light, and there's a soft spark in his eyes that Yuchan hadn't noticed before. 

"You coming?" 

"Ah - yes, sure", and his feet betray his anxiety as he follows the two of them up the stairs, away from the option to run.

* * *

„And then you did **what?!** “

Byeongkwan's voice ascends at least half an octave, and Yuchan's already burning red ears deepen in color. He looks up to Sehyoon for help, but the older one is just quietly laughing and shrugging. You're on your own, buddy, he seems to imply, and Yuchan lets out an exasperated scoff.

What an asshat, he thinks, and as if the other had read his mind, Byeongkwan clears his throat. „Hey. Mister. Don't look at Sehyoon, he's not gonna help you - look at me. Hey. I'm not letting you off this easily.“

Yuchan groans wholeheartedly, regretting every single step that had led him to this specific table in this specific cafeteria, to this specific sad tray of gooey overcooked pasta and this specific (presumably) tomato sauce, to this very much embarrassing conversation. He could name at least 30 situations he'd rather be in, and "amidst dropping off the face of earth" or "falling into an active volcano" were only two of them.

„I fell.“

He knows he doesn't actually need to repeat it, because Byeongkwan has heard him very well when he said it the first time. „I fell and ruined all the produce.“

There's a moment of silence stretching out into eternity, in which Byeongkwan just looks at him and nods somberly, undeniably enjoying the entire situation way too much.

„Beautiful. Amazing. Simply -“, he finally speaks up and goes on to kiss his fingers as if he's Gordon fucking Ramsay or something. „Simply too good to be true.“

„I'm clumsy. Bite me.“

He doesn't even want to continue thinking about it. Not only had he ruined half of the shopping he and Jun had done that evening, he also hurt himself a lot, scraping his chin open as he faceplanted on the wooden steps leading up to Donghun and Jun's apartment.

He was still looking pretty rough today, a blue-ish halo adorning the scab on his chin.

„I think you look badass, for what it's worth. Like you got into a fight or something.“ Sehyoon seems to have caught the swing in Yuchan's mood, extending his hand for an encouraging nudge against Yuchan's shoulder from across the table. „Maybe just pretend that's what actually happened, hm?“

„Maybe, yeah.“ Byeongkwan agrees with an only marginally mean chuckle. Yuchan knows he's never going to let him live this down. Never.

Thankfully, Byeongkwan decides he's been teasing enough for one day, returning to his usual lunch business of consuming incredible amounts of food and trying to flirt with Sehyoon without being too obvious - two of his favorite pastimes.

When they finally leave the cafeteria and split up to rush to their respective lectures, Yuchan can't help but let his thoughts wander off to the night in question.

* * *

„Shit, Yuchan – hey, are you okay!?“ 

Without as much as a second thought, Jun grabs the younger boy by the shoulders, pulling him up from where he had crashed into the stairs. There's a mess of fruit and vegetables falling all over the place, but Jun only has eyes for the worryingly intense gush of blood making its way down Yuchan's chin. „Fuck, that looks bad. … Donghun. **Donghun!** Get the emergency kit!“

They struggle to climb the stairs while avoiding the slippery parts (where some fruit or veggie had found an early demise), and Yuchan tries to somehow avoid bleeding everywhere – his hand cupping his chin as he wobbles up the stairs with Jun's help, legs shaky and head ringing from the smack against the wood.

„Holy sh– are you sure that doesn't need stitches?“ Donghun unpacks the kit with surprisingly calm hands, starts dabbing a sterile cotton pad around the wound. „I don't know what I'm doing“, he admits, the light panic in his voice not as reassuring as his hands.

„Move“, Jun says in the bossiest tone Yuchan has ever heard from him, and he would be lying if he said it didn't stir some entirely inappropriate feelings in him. Focus, he tries to reason with himself, maybe you're just being delusional from the blood loss.

The whole situation makes him giggle, which also qualified as an inappropriate reaction.

„Thanks for enjoying this“, Junhee mumbles into the small space between them, his scolding voice betraying the amused smirk tugging on the corner of his lips. He's focused on the wound, his face awkwardly close to Yuchan's. He tries to ignore it, but to no avail.

Donghun has since disappeared back into the hallway, picking up the remaining unharmed produce and cleaning up whatever Yuchan had so gracefully flattened with his body.

Junhee finally steps back, eyeing his work with critical eyes. „I mean, it's not bleeding anymore. Good enough for me.“

„Tha doesn'nn sounn too pwomishing“ Yuchan slurs, trying not too move his jaw too much. „I fink I'm jus nnod meand do be able do dalk pwoperly wih you guys.“

Donghun starts laughing hysterically when he sees Yuchan, quickly slapping a hand in front of his mouth as Jun shoots him a scolding look. „Sorry. That... That looks ridiculous.“

Upon wobbling into the bathroom to get a good look into the mirror Yuchan absolutely understands Donghun's reaction – there's a shapeless blob of cotton taped to his chin, barely held together by medical tape and sheer luck.

„Hmpf“, he just makes as he returns to the living room to find Jun and Donghun anxiously awaiting him. 

„At least it's not bleeding anymore!“ Jun almost sounds offended.

„Thank you.“ Yuchan's voice is genuine when he says it, hot tears suddenly welling up in the corner of his eyes when sharp pain shoots from his jaw to his temples. „Ow.“

„Come on. Sit down“, Donghun offers, guiding Yuchan to the couch, warm hands on his shoulders. „I'll make us tea.“

* * *

Yuchan is harshly snapped back to the present as the speakers of the college hallways crackle to life, a skewed bell announcing the beginning of the next period.

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first fic in quite the long time, so comments and kudos are greatly appreciated <3
> 
> feel free to come talk to me on twitter! [@nsfwdonghun](http://www.twitter.com/nsfwdonghun)


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